Category Archives: –COOK COUNTY GA–

Post Office, 1939, Adel

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This historic New Deal post office was saved and is now home to the Cook County Historical Society Museum. Mary A. King writes: My father, James S. Bailey, was in charge of some of the W.P.A. projects at that time and I know some of the work in Cook County was his, and I believe he was in charge of the construction of the post office, too. I seem to remember having seen photos of the construction process and hearing my parents talk about it, but I wasn’t born until 1941, just before the war started and that changed a lot of things, of course. He was doing W.P.A. projects around Ashburn and Sycamore when I was born because I was born in Sycamore and our home was Nashville in Berrien County.

National Register of Historic Places

Old Ford Dealership, Adel

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I always thought this was an old theatre, but thanks to B. Sutton, I now know that it was originally a Ford dealership and was later O. P. Fausett’s Phillips 66 station.

Little River, Cook County

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One of two Little Rivers in Georgia (the other is a tributary of the Etowah, in North Georgia), this river isn’t widely known beyond the immediate area. It’s collectively part of the Willacoochee-Withlacoochee-Alapaha-Little watershed that drains much of Southwest Georgia. A coalition devoted to protecting these rivers has been formed, as pollution from widespread chemical farming is an immediate concern to their health.

Cannon House, Circa 1890, Staunton

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This neighborhood of Lenox was originally known as Staunton. According to Linda W. Meadows, believes it was built by local timber baron Sim Harrell (1851-1929) in the early 1890s. Remembered Places Leftover Pieces of the Coastal Plain Area, an architectural resource published in 1976, identifies it as the Cannon House. It’s possible that Mr. Harrell was simply the builder. The front gable originally contained an arched window, that was removed during a remodel at some point.

However, Holt Daughtrey writes: Speaking as a great-great grandson of T.P. Daughtrey both Cannon house as well as many of the houses including the post office were payed for by either the Cannon family which Tom married into or the Daughtrey clan. Money made through turpentine as well as running a local saw mill.

T. P. Daughtrey House, Staunton

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Thanks to Judy Lawrence for the identification.

Cook County Courthouse, 1939, Adel

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Designed by William J. J. Chase, the “Stripped Classical” design of this courthouse is often mistaken for Art Deco.

National Register of Historic Places

Watermelon Building, 1930, Adel

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Though officially known as the SOWEGA (Southwest Georgia Melon Growers Association) Building, this landmark, designed by the Atlanta architectural firm of Daniell & Butell, is generally referred to as the Watermelon Building, due to the small watermelon ornaments between the second and third floors. The association was a cooperative formed in 1921 to help area farmers maximize profits for their crops; the SOWEGA Building was constructed at a time when Cook County was dubbed “The Watermelon Capital of the World”. They also published a newspaper for members, The Sowega Standard, which was produced in this building. The Del-Cook Lumber Company purchased the building in 1960, and the Metcalf Lumber Company in 1986. After years of general disrepair, it has recently been restored.

National Register of Historic Places

Dixie Station, Adel

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This Dixie station has been here at least since the 1970s. I remember it from trips through Adel. It’s been abandoned for many years.